By Ashley Richardson

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I don’t know if I’m just getting older, or music festivals are getting worse. They’re not all bad, of course. But, the mainstream ones appear to be consistently worsening both on the stage and outside of it. I don’t really enjoy going to festivals anymore, and that’s simply because there are so many downsides. I need an outlet to rant about my frustrations, and this is the perfect place to do it! Who knows, maybe I’ll set up my own mini-festival in the future instead!

Trying To Sleep

Sometimes, I just don’t want to stay up until 2 AM watching that trashy band from off the radio. I want to go to sleep, and even though I picked the family area for camping, that doesn’t seem to matter. I still get woken up by loud, drunken singing throughout the night, which continues once I’ve awoken. It doesn’t help that I’m sleeping on an uncomfortable mat in a tent that can barely withstand the elements.

The Toilets

Why can’t any festivals get this part right? Sure, I understand that lots of people will be using toilets, and that means they won’t be that well maintained. But, it’s always those damn cheap portaloos. The organisers are unwilling to invest in a more luxurious form of toilet hire, making it an incredibly unpleasant experience. Next time, I’ll just hold on until I get home!

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Being Unable To Charge My Phone

Ugh, this is annoying. You wait all day for that one band you really can’t wait to see, and then your phone dies. No more images or videos for you! You’re also stumped when it comes to meeting up with friends or being available for emergency contact purposes. What’s the alternative? Paying huge prices so you can get about 10% worth of charge on your Samsung Galaxy S6. No thanks, I’ll just buy a spare battery next time.

Bad Weather

This isn’t anyone’s fault, but what is it about bad weather and festivals? It seems like they’re made for each other, and that leads to some seriously uncomfortable living. By the time you’ve been there for a few days, every piece of clothing is dirty and stinking. There’s no point going for the showers unless you want to wait for hours, so it’s best to just deal with it.

Extortionate Prices

This has always been a problem. Who remembers the nightmare that was Woodstock 99, and the overcharged bottles of water? Everything you want to buy at a festival is expensive and requires battling through long queues to get to. As a result, you might end up skipping it altogether, getting dehydrated in the process. You might as well forget about band merchandise -- it’s both expensive and lacking in diversity. Next time, I’ll just go and see my favourite band at their own gig.

Maybe I’m just being grumpy. I much prefer going to see my favourite bands in person, and my experiences this year have only served to enhance that fact. When I finally create my own mini-festival, things will be different!!

Ashley Richardson is the Chief Marketing Officer and the latest addition to the zenruption team. She studied at Boise State University and changed her major 12 times before finding her true love in the study of Law. Her life goals include traveling the world, petting all the cats and burning the establishment to the ground.